The Hon’ble SC yesterday heard the arguments of EPFO against the decision of Hon HC Kerala judgement and other connected orders which quashed the EPS(amendment)-2014. Hon HC Kerala earlier set aside the EPFO amendment by judgement in 2018 and declared that all the EPF covered employees shall be entitled to exercise the higher pension option without being restricted to a particular date and allowed the 12 month average salary condition instead 5 years. In April-2019 Hon SC had dismissed the SLP by EPFO against Hon HC Kerala and later in January-2021 a three bench judge recalled the dismissal order in the review petitions filed by EPFO and posted for hearing- which is happening now along with various connected petitions across country. The final judgement arose on WPC 13120/2015 from Hon’ble HC, Kerala. AIGETOA Kerala Circle Secretary along with 504 BSNL recruits including executives and non Executives are connected with the order on WPC 13120/2015 against which the arguments are happening now.

Click here for a summary document of various Hon Court proceeds and part of order copy

This being the factual information, it is seen that some informational claims started propagation where as neither that association nor it’s member (other than those who joined the EPF case along with AIGETOA Kerala) are not even a party to this legal fight. Let’s not forget that this particular association’s negative followers were very much vocal against reaching to Hon Court when our team decided to seek legal remedies for EPF full Pension option. Anyways, we are happy to see that they have understood the need of legal fight on this matter. It is also pertinent to mention that they are masters in credit mongering especially when it comes to benefits of BSNL Recruit’s without any actual ground work. The same type of elements had mislead the SAB Pension Vs EPF till AIGETOA opened the reality i.e. both are different. If the Rule-37A Clause 23 as envisaged at time of incorporation of BSNL then SAB would have effected from date of joining of BSNL recruits, then the story would have been different. From this aspect itself it was known that they were not at all interested in realizing the due rights of BSNL recruits. Let’s hope that legal fight for EPF Full Pension and average Salary condition to 12 month’s will be upheld by Hon SC also to help the people who are not protected by the Government statutory Pension. The arguments will continue today.

Circle Conference cum Annual General Meet (AGM) of All India Graduate Engineers & Telecom Officers Association, Uttarakhand Telecom Circle will be held on 21st August 2021 through online mode as per the provision in the constitution of AIGETOA.

Circle Conference cum AGM Schedule of UP East Telecom Circle:

Date of Circle Conference cum AGM: 21st August 2021(Saturday)

Venue of the AGM: Online Mode (Details will be conveyed to all participants)

Schedule of the Election: 21st August 2021(Saturday) from 02:00 PM onwards

Declaration of Result: 21st August 2021(Saturday) (after completion of election process)

Click here for the Notification of Circle Conference cum AGM of AIGETOA, UP East Telecom Circle

Circle Conference cum Annual General Meet (AGM) of All India Graduate Engineers & Telecom Officers Association, Uttarakhand Telecom Circle will be held on 18th August 2021 through online mode as per the provision in the constitution of AIGETOA.

Circle Conference cum AGM Schedule of Uttarakhand Telecom Circle:

Date of Circle Conference cum AGM: 18th August 2021(Wednesday)

Venue of the AGM: Online Mode (Details will be conveyed to all participants)

Schedule of the Election: 18th August 2021(Wednesday) from 02:00 PM onwards

Declaration of Result: 18th August 2021(Wednesday) (after completion of election process)

Click here for the Notification of Circle Conference cum AGM of AIGETOA, Uttarakhand Telecom Circle

AIGETOA Team met PGM Pers on 16.08.2021 and discussed the DPC aspect of left out JTOs in telecom wing. With reconciliation of vacancies, he informed that the vacancies have been rechecked and things have been found in order. However AIGETOA insisted that there is definite mismatch in calculation and same needs to be rechecked. Further, as per the request of AIGETOA during meeting with CMD BSNL and PGM Pers earlier, roster preparation for calendar year 2019 has also been initiated, so that further DPC can happen. We requested for updating the roster for calendar year 2020 also. The notification process for LDCE is also under process and the same is expected shortly. We also requested for expediting the DPCs for JTO to SDE in electrical and civil wing. PGM Pers assured for the early completion. In Civil wing certain issues are there with respect to vacancy calculation, which is being looked into.

As far as the promotion in SDE (T) to AGM and AO to CAO is concerned, it was again reiterated that the promotion can not be executed due to pendency of SLP in Hon’ble Supreme Court and necessary remedial action for including all eligible/time bound functional upgradation to next grade is being discussed with Director HR and CMD BSNL. In the meantime the association is also exploring legal solution for the logjam in view of the SLP.

A formal meeting with CMD BSNL took place yesterday (11.08.2021) to discuss upon the restructuring exercise being undertaken by BSNL. The meeting was attended by the Director HR and GM Restructuring and association side was represented by Shri Ravi Shil Verma AIP, Shri Wasi Ahmad GS, Shri Badri Kumar Mehta VP and Shri Rajendra Singh.

The meeting was quite exhaustive and detailed discussion took place on staffing norms, stagnation and career progression of the executives which satisfies the minimum career aspirations of all executives. Association pointed out many lacuanes in calculation of norms and many of them were acknowledged by CMD. However CMD BSNL expressed his firmness towards keeping the structure lean and thin. We stated that structure of organization can’t be transformed over night and persons, who are working in organisation can’t be allowed to stagnate just because a lean and thin structure is to be developed. On stagnation part, CMD BSNL endorsed our view that executives can not be allowed to stagnate beyond a stipulated period. He sought certain more inputs to us, which we will be submitting in 2-3 days. He also directed his team to provide the same input. On making AGM grade operational cadre, CMD BSNL was not in concurrence and said that alternative mechanism like LDCE/Selection Process can be thought of for pushing meritorious executives up in the ladder. We said in AGM grade, LDCE will not serve the purpose and instead all should be given chance to compete for the posts in DGM grade for which MS RR is already having the provision and for that all eligible candidates (JTO/JAO/SDE/AO/AGM/CAO and equivalent grade executives) should be promoted to their next grade before the restructuring exercise. This will give way forward of promotion despite of reservation and seniority issue.

On two points, there was some consensus between management and Association side but disagreement on Quantum.

1. There should not be stagnation in any cadre beyond a justified time. The management side stated that stagnation should not be beyond 10-11 years in JTO/JAO/Equivalent grade and 14-15 years in SDE/AO/Equivalent grade but association side took strong objection to this view point and demanded that the maximum stagnation of 4 years at JTO/JAO/equivalent grade and 8 years at SDE/AO/Equivalent grade can be tolerated. Further association side also ruled out introduction of any intermediate functional grade like Sr SDE/Sr AO grade and demanded no intermediary post should be created for name sake.

2. Meritorious executives at all levels need to be identified and pushed up in the ladder to take higher responsibilities. We demanded DGM Promotions strictly on selection cum merit as stipulated in MS RR instead of gifting it based on seniority which was never the intent of the MS RR.

Association shall be submitting it’s input on next 2-3 days based on which further discussion and decision on Restructuring will take place.

We also discussed the matter of Inter-Se-Seniority for VY 2006-7 onwards and highlighted various legal aspects on which CMD BSNL directed Director HR to get the same examined thoroughly before arriving at any conclusion.

Matter of left out promotions in JTO to SDE cadre was also discussed. It was assured to look into the same.

Thereafter reversal issue was discussed. Management side acknowledged the problem and stated that necessary action needs to be taken to get the issue resolved once for all.

The state-run telco reportedly said the deviations include a few critical issues that cannot be compromised for testing the equipment under Proof of Concept (PoC) or trials considering the same equipment will be commercially deployed for rolling out 4G services after the trials. State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)’s 4G trials has hit yet another roadblock as a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)-led consortium has proposed 128 deviations in 4G equipment specifications, with the highest deviations proposed in radio network (71), Financial Express reported. Other specifications where TCS has reportedly proposed deviations include core (18), interworking (6), deferred core (13), and deferred radio (20).

BSNL, though said accepting these deviations could jeopardize its business prospects and customer experience. It has written to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) asking whether to accept the deviations or not. The state-run telco reportedly said the deviations include a few critical issues that cannot be compromised for testing the equipment under Proof of Concept (PoC) or trials considering the same equipment will be commercially deployed for rolling out 4G services after the trials.

“According to this office, acceptance of such deviations will cost BSNL in future once the rollout happens and it will not only jeopardise the interests of BSNL’s business prospects but also adversely impact the customer experience as well as BSNL’s competitive strength,” BSNL CMD Sh P K Purwar was quoted as saying by the publication.

It should be noted that ITI and TCS have submitted their bid with state-run C-DoT for core technology and Tejas Networks for radio, and will conduct trials at Chandigarh.

Click here for complete media report

AIGETOA has taken serious exception of the letter issued by the BSNL CO New Delhi including names of some of the LDCE 2007 passed SDEs for the process DPC under left out case. This was already categorically assured by the Director (HR) that their case will be settled as one time measure and their service in the SDE grade will remain intact since date of promotion in the cadre but the action of the management is contrarily to the decision. AIGETOA demanded immediate removal of these names and settlement of their cases immediately.

Click here for the letter

BSNL Employees Health Insurance Policy, 2021-Implementation of the scheme w.e.f 1st September,2021.

Click here for letter

Annexure – X

Annexure A & B Health insurance policy 060821

Board level and below Board level posts including Non-unionized supervisors in Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) – Revision of scales of pay w.e.f. 01.01.2007-Payment of IDA at revised rates w.e.f. 01.07.2021.

Click here for Order

Telecom News – In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Communications submitted that the loss of BSNL narrowed to Rs 7,441 cr in 2020-21 from Rs 15,500 cr in 2019-20.

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